Under syncro storage

1
Hey All,

What do people think about storing things under the syncro?

Particulary the US Westfalia has a propane gas tank underneath - would
that be legal in australia? Apparently you can get a secondary South
African fuel tank?

My interest is putting water and grey water tanks under the van, for
the moment, though would be interested in perhaps making some sort of
storage locker, gas bottle, and fuel tank or jerry can under there.

Has anyone come accross good designs, ideas or writeups for anything
like this?

Thanks! :) Sam
2
Sam,
 
There are many additional storage schemes around the world. 
 
The Australian Trakka conversion comes with two underbelly water tanks, one hot, the other cold, each holding 50 litres (11 Imp gallons, 13.2 US gallons), one each side of the propshaft protector, starting at about the front edge of the sliding door.
 
Some schemes have tanks in the same position to carry additional fuel.  This can be very useful but the tanks need to be very sturdy to be proof against piercing.  Dumping raw fuel onto a CAT running at 700+ degrees C is not at all clever.
 
A lot of people prefer to carry two spare wheels when on serious trips.  There are a number of very good rear mounted wheel carriers available that put both spares in a readily accessible position.  This frees the volume that normally carries the spare, and there are tanks, both water and fuel, made (mainly in South Africa) that fit into the existing carrier.  The bash plate is retained as a protection against spiking and fuel dump.
 
Propane bottles need to be treated with great respect.  The bottles themselves are extremely tough but the brass valves are a lot less so, which is why the bottles have a steel collar around the valve.  I would strongly advise against putting a gas bottle under the vehicle, no matter where.  The best location is outside on the bumpers - not the standard but purpose built.  The rear bumper that was fitted to the Telecom Syncros is good for the purpose.  You can carry the normal spare wheel in the front, one on a rear rack, and still have plenty of room for a propane bottle.
 
It is no longer legal to carry a bottle inside the van unless it is situated in a chamber that is sealed off from the interior and vented to the outside through the bottom of the chamber - note, bottom.  Propane is heavier than air and sinks to the lowest point of any confined space.  A lot of boat explosions come down to a leaking propane bottle inside the hull.  The unsuspecting owner starts the engine and -  boom!
 
Commonsense is advised when considering storing fuel, be it liquid or gas, in a vehicle.  And, on top of all that, anything as bulky as water or propane tanks under the vehicle makes serious inroads into your ground clearance.
 
Les
 
 
----- Original Message -----
From: pootaguru
Sent: Wednesday, June 21, 2006 1:50 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Under syncro storage

Hey All,

What do people think about storing things under the syncro?

Particulary the US Westfalia has a propane gas tank underneath - would
that be legal in australia? Apparently you can get a secondary South
African fuel tank?

My interest is putting water and grey water tanks under the van, for
the moment, though would be interested in perhaps making some sort of
storage locker, gas bottle, and fuel tank or jerry can under there.

Has anyone come accross good designs, ideas or writeups for anything
like this?

Thanks! :) Sam

3
Gday Sam,

My syncro has a hinge down storage bin in the space directly under the
sliding door. That space was also used by Trakka to fit a hot water
tank, similar to the cold water tank on the other side.

Space is always a premium so this bin is great. Funnily enough, the
previous owner who had this Syncro for 6 years wasn't even aware the
storage bin was there.

The bin was an initiative of the second owner back in 1992, he designed
it and had it made somewhere in the Blue Mountains.

Pop in sometime and have a look if you like. While you're here, fix my
starter motor will you please Sam .... lol

Cheers.

Ken


--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "pootaguru" <me@...> wrote:
>
> Hey All,
>
> What do people think about storing things under the syncro?
>
> Particulary the US Westfalia has a propane gas tank underneath - would
> that be legal in australia? Apparently you can get a secondary South
> African fuel tank?
>
> My interest is putting water and grey water tanks under the van, for
> the moment, though would be interested in perhaps making some sort of
> storage locker, gas bottle, and fuel tank or jerry can under there.
>
> Has anyone come accross good designs, ideas or writeups for anything
> like this?
>
> Thanks! :) Sam
>
4
Hey Guys,

Thanks heaps for all the info. What would be really healpful would
be some photographs from under your vans if you feel like crawling
under there :) Guess it might be hard to take a good underbody
photo unless the van is on a hoist though.

Hmmm so I should just strap a standard gas bottle to the telstra
bumper? A smaller bottle or two would strap in nicely hiding just
underneath it perhaps. Though would I be able to run a pipe from
the bottle to inside the van? Or would I have to cook outside or
bring the bottle inside to use it? And do i need any certificates
to do this?

Ken, you're not too many hours away, I might have to come visit.
Don't know if I'll be much help with the starter, just hit with a
hammer if they're not working i thought??

I haven't looked yet, but perhaps I might be able to track down some
underbody storage systems. Might be a tad easier then fabricating
my own. Will make a phonecall to the few wreckers that i know.
Anyone know where I could get some underbody systems new or used?

Thanks Guys,
Sam






--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "Ken" <unclekenz@...>
wrote:
>
>
> Gday Sam,
>
> My syncro has a hinge down storage bin in the space directly under
the
> sliding door. That space was also used by Trakka to fit a hot water
> tank, similar to the cold water tank on the other side.
>
> Space is always a premium so this bin is great. Funnily enough, the
> previous owner who had this Syncro for 6 years wasn't even aware
the
> storage bin was there.
>
> The bin was an initiative of the second owner back in 1992, he
designed
> it and had it made somewhere in the Blue Mountains.
>
> Pop in sometime and have a look if you like. While you're here,
fix my
> starter motor will you please Sam .... lol
>
> Cheers.
>
> Ken
>
>
> --- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "pootaguru" <me@>
wrote:
> >
> > Hey All,
> >
> > What do people think about storing things under the syncro?
> >
> > Particulary the US Westfalia has a propane gas tank underneath -
would
> > that be legal in australia? Apparently you can get a secondary
South
> > African fuel tank?
> >
> > My interest is putting water and grey water tanks under the van,
for
> > the moment, though would be interested in perhaps making some
sort of
> > storage locker, gas bottle, and fuel tank or jerry can under
there.
> >
> > Has anyone come accross good designs, ideas or writeups for
anything
> > like this?
> >
> > Thanks! :) Sam
> >
>
5
Sam,
 
I haven't looked at the legal requirements for some time but the valve on the bottle is regarded as isolating the gas.  You can then run a supply pipe to the interior.  And this presumes that you are using a low pressure appliance inside the vehicle.  My Trakka came with a cooking cabinet inside the side door and behind the passenger seat.  The bottle was inside the cabinet, and this was before the legislation regarding sealed bottle compartments. 
 
In my previous T2 campers, I carried a small bottle inside (now prohibited) supplying a two burner/griller.  Except in the coldest of weather, I cooked outside anyway to avoid the interior picking up cooking smells.  It's amazing how long they can hang around!   Low pressure appliances inside the vehicle are safer than high pressure in that a supply line leak is at a very low rate.
 
Les
 
----- Original Message -----
From: pootaguru
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2006 1:20 PM
Subject: [Syncro_T3_Australia] Re: Under syncro storage

Hey Guys,

Hmmm so I should just strap a standard gas bottle to the telstra
bumper? A smaller bottle or two would strap in nicely hiding just
underneath it perhaps. Though would I be able to run a pipe from
the bottle to inside the van? Or would I have to cook outside or
bring the bottle inside to use it? And do i need any certificates
to do this?


Thanks Guys,
Sam

.

6
Gday Sam,

Well the Sydney yellow pages comes to mind ... lol

Maybe check out manufacturers of the new-fangled tradesmen's lock-up
storage bin systems. They might be able to tailor make to your
requirements. This one I have obviously was a one off so I guess it can
be done. Cheers.

Ken


--- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "pootaguru" <me@...> wrote:
>
> Hey Guys,
>
> Thanks heaps for all the info. What would be really healpful would
> be some photographs from under your vans if you feel like crawling
> under there :) Guess it might be hard to take a good underbody
> photo unless the van is on a hoist though.
>
> Hmmm so I should just strap a standard gas bottle to the telstra
> bumper? A smaller bottle or two would strap in nicely hiding just
> underneath it perhaps. Though would I be able to run a pipe from
> the bottle to inside the van? Or would I have to cook outside or
> bring the bottle inside to use it? And do i need any certificates
> to do this?
>
> Ken, you're not too many hours away, I might have to come visit.
> Don't know if I'll be much help with the starter, just hit with a
> hammer if they're not working i thought??
>
> I haven't looked yet, but perhaps I might be able to track down some
> underbody storage systems. Might be a tad easier then fabricating
> my own. Will make a phonecall to the few wreckers that i know.
> Anyone know where I could get some underbody systems new or used?
>
> Thanks Guys,
> Sam
>
>
>
>
>
>
> --- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "Ken" unclekenz@
> wrote:
> >
> >
> > Gday Sam,
> >
> > My syncro has a hinge down storage bin in the space directly under
> the
> > sliding door. That space was also used by Trakka to fit a hot water
> > tank, similar to the cold water tank on the other side.
> >
> > Space is always a premium so this bin is great. Funnily enough, the
> > previous owner who had this Syncro for 6 years wasn't even aware
> the
> > storage bin was there.
> >
> > The bin was an initiative of the second owner back in 1992, he
> designed
> > it and had it made somewhere in the Blue Mountains.
> >
> > Pop in sometime and have a look if you like. While you're here,
> fix my
> > starter motor will you please Sam .... lol
> >
> > Cheers.
> >
> > Ken
> >
> >
> > --- In Syncro_T3_Australia@yahoogroups.com, "pootaguru" <me@>
> wrote:
> > >
> > > Hey All,
> > >
> > > What do people think about storing things under the syncro?
> > >
> > > Particulary the US Westfalia has a propane gas tank underneath -
> would
> > > that be legal in australia? Apparently you can get a secondary
> South
> > > African fuel tank?
> > >
> > > My interest is putting water and grey water tanks under the van,
> for
> > > the moment, though would be interested in perhaps making some
> sort of
> > > storage locker, gas bottle, and fuel tank or jerry can under
> there.
> > >
> > > Has anyone come accross good designs, ideas or writeups for
> anything
> > > like this?
> > >
> > > Thanks! :) Sam
> > >
> >
>